The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-15
ON THE CONGO.
RAPID PROGRESS OF THE SANFORD
EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
Four Stations Already Secured for
Lieut.. Taunt's Trading Possible En-
ploys First Glass Agents to Man
Them-His Steamboa

| Lieut.. TaunCS IraQlnB FOSUS-he Eli
ploys First Glass Agents to Man
Them-Hi Steamboat.
From, the Nelc York Sun.
1t is an interesting fact that the CONNER
cial enterprise on the Upper Congo, which
is developing most rapidly, is managed and
in part controlled by Americans. 1t is the
Sanford exploring expedition, and its bust
ness headquarters are in Brussels Mr. San
ford, formerly our Minister to Belgium, is
at the head of the enterprise, and Lieut.
Taunt, formerly of the United States Navy,
is its manager on the Congo. Two Belgian
capitalists, Mr.. Jules Malon and Senator
Montefiore-Levy. are its largest financial
supporters. It's first consignment of the ex-
portable articles of the Upper Congo has al
ready reached Europe.
| Lieut.. Taunt's ambitious project has more
| than once been mentioned i'll the Sun, but
its details are revealed only as they are car
ried into effect on the Upper Congo. Its
purpose is to find the best places at which to
establish commercial stations on the Upper
Congo and its affiuents, and TO erect in these
| places the necessary storehouses and other
buildings, put them in charge of CONNER
cial agents, and barter manufactured prod
ucts for ivory, India-rubber, and palm oil of
! the natives. II has been the first trading
company TO launch steamboat on the up
per river, and the first to have more than
| single station.
The Dutch and French trading companies
| that have pushed up the river to Stanley
Pool have not yet got beyond that point
The Sanford Company, however, has not
only built fine station at Kinshasha, but it
| has also purchased the stations and build
ings of the Congo State at Manyanga, Equa-
| torville and Luebo Manyanga is in the
| Cataract region below Stanley Pool, and all
Congo travellers speak of its great native
| market, where the tribes gather from far
and near to exchange their wares A fine
picture of Equatorvile appears in Stanley's
| latest book. Until the Free State decided
that it no longer needed a post at this point
| Equatorville had the name of being the
finest white station on the upper river. The
| station of Luebo is near the great Kassai
| river, on its Lulua afiiuent, in the midst of
great ivory producing region, and about
| GOO miles by steamer from Stanley Pool.
Lieut.. Taunt expected by this time to
have taken possession of this commercial
| outpost far south of the Congo, but the
| necessities of the Stanley expedition inter
| fered with his plans. Before his machinists
were able to put the engine into his fine new
vessel the Florida the Emin Pasha expe-
| dition reached Stanley pool, and the hulk
| and taken in tow to Stanley Falls. When
the Florida returns to the pool her machinery
| will be put i'll place, and then Lieut.. Taunt
! expects to push far up the Kassai. There is
little doubt that his enterprise will be the
pioneer commercial expedition in the region
| of whose ivory resources a half dozen ex-
plorers have written such accounts.
This costly enterprise of course gives EN-
ployment to considerable body of white
men. Americans Belgians and English
men are now on Lieut.. Taunt's pay roll, and
almost every steamer for the Cogo takes out
one or more recruits for his several stations
His best men are those who have already
| had long experience on the river and have
| proved their ability to withstand its trying
| clsmate The oldest man on the Congo in
| point of continuous service is Mr.
| Legat, who, as an agent of the Congo State,
| has been hard at work there for
five years. In that time he has had charge
| of three different stations, and his health has
| invariably been excellent. While in Europe
this spring on brief vacation the Sanford
| Company made him a good offer, and he is
now returning to Africa in its service to
take charge of Lieut.. Taunt's commercial
establishment at Luebo. Seven other men
who have been amoag the best agents of the
| Congo State, three of whom Stanley praises
highly in his last book for their signal SER
vices, have taken employment with the San
| 1Ofd company.
1t is only six years since Stanley invaded
the solitude of Stanley Pool, after strug-
Cling nearly two years to reach that gate
way to the Upper Congo. Now ten white
establishments, embracing Congo State
stations and trading and missionary posts
here and there, dot the shores of the pool
| The houses are comfortable. European veg
etables thrive in the gardens, and the savage
wilderness is becoming the home of 'civilza-
| ton and the scene of thrift and industry.
Give us the railroad" writes from Leo
| poldville an American agent of the Sanford
Company. land we will build a second Chi
cago here" Such enthusiasm is likely to
excite a smile. Nevertheless, when
Stanley Pool is made easily accessible, a
network of 1900 miles of navigable water
ways will be open to the commerce of the
| world; and unless all the friends of the great
Congo enterprise are visionary fools there is
a bright future ahead of tae settlements at
| the pool
The large party of engineers which sailed
from Antwerp early last month to survey a
route for the proposed railroad probably
arrived at the Congo about June5 1t is
their purpose to divide into three surveying
parties, and follow different routes from
Matadi to Stanley Pool Arriving at that
point, they will compare notes and decide
upon the best route for the proposed rail-
road.